Rise  and  Progress 
of  Chicago : 

AN  ADDRESS, 

Delivered  before  the 

Centetmary  Library  Association, 

At  St.  Caroline's  Court  Hotel, 
March  2,  1876. 


BY 


JAMES  A.  MARSHALL,  Esq. 


CHICAGO: 
FERGUS  PRINTING    COMPANY, 

244-8  ILLINOIS  STREET. 
1876. 


/ 


/ 


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N 


Rise  and  Progress 
of  Chicago : 

AN  ADDRESS, 

Delivered  before  the 

Centennary  Library  Association, 

At  St.  Caroline's  Court  Hotel, 
March  2,  1876. 


BY 

JAMES  A.  MARSHALL,  Esq. 


CHICAGO: 
FERGUS  PRINTING    COMPANY, 

244-8  ILLINOIS  STREET. 
1876. 


fjL 


Rise  and   Progress  of  Chicago. 


The  moon  shines  dimly  just  after  the  sun  has  set.  To 
give  reminiscences  of  the  early  history  of  Chicago  in  a 
form  that  would  be  likely  to  interest  you,  particularly  after 
having  listened  to  the  lofty  aspirations  and  eloquent  dis- 
coursings  of  a  Wentworth,  Bross,  Balestier,  and  others  who 
have  favored  us  upon  this  subject  with  gems  from  the 
well-filled  storehouse  of  their  polished  and  cultivated  in- 
tellects, is  a  task  that  I  might  well  shrink  from,  and  be  a 
silent  admirer  of  the  rich  developments  of  these  faithful 
biographers,  rather  than  attempt  any  elaborate  description 
of  its  early  progress  myself;  but,  however  much  may  have 
been  said,  there  is  still  room  for  the  further  unfolding  of 
its  primitive  doings  and  wonderful  strides  to  popularity 
and  greatness. 

It  is  not  our  purpose  to  trace  the  present  popularity  and 
important  advancement  of  Chicago,  from  the  early  explorers 
of  the  great  North-west,  down  through  past  ages,  to  the 
probable  discovery  of  a  point  on  Lake  Michigan,  that  was 
destined  to  be,  in  the  distant  future,  the  Metropolis  of  the 
Universe,  that,  to  our  mind,  would  be  too  chimerical,  and 
fraught  with  too  much  uncertainty  to  command  respectful 
consideration;  but,  as  near  as  memory  will  permit,  to  "hold 
the  mirror  up  to  nature,"  and  relate  some  of  the  more  promi- 
nent features  of  its  progress  within  the  memory  of  its  "old- 
est inhabitants"  now  resident  among  us,  many  of  whom 
deserve  honorable  mention;  we  might  also  name  those  who 
have  done  much  toward  enhancing  the  growth,  importance, 
and  prosperity  of  Chicago;  but  where  all  have  done  so  well 
it  would  be  invidious  to  particularize,  we  will,  therefore, 
content  ourself  by  at  once  giving  our  personal  experience 
of  the  early  rise  and  growth  of  the  City  of  the  West. 


4  RISE   AND   PROGRESS 

Let  us,  for  a  moment,  remove  the  veil,  and  take  a  re- 
trospect of  the  past  forty-five  years,  we  will  then  have 
disclosed  to  view  a  barren  waste,  the  abode  of  the  timid 
fawn,  the  deer,  the  wolf,  and  tawny  Indian,  whose  bark 
alone  skimmed  along  these  majestic  lakes,  claiming  the 
ownership  of  their  pure  and  limpid  waters.  Now  mark 
the  change !  These  lofty  spires  that  rise  to  their  graceful 
and  giddy  heights ;  the  busy  mill  and  spacious  warehouse: 
the  stately  mansion  and  lowly  cot,  around  whose  slender 
portals  the  woodbine  entwines  its  caressing  tendrils.  We 
might  extend  the  view,  and  admire  the  dot  tings  of  civili- 
zation and  culture  in  the  innumerable  cottages  and  pre- 
tentious farm-houses  that  nestle  among  the  tall  grass  and 
fringe  the  borders  of  our  rivers  and  woodlands,  but  our 
purpose  just  now  is  a  review  of  the  early  history  and 
doings  of  Chicago. 

When  we  first  landed  on  these  shores,  our  impression 
was  that  it  might  be  a  place  of  some  importance,  were  it 
not  so  low,  and  I  ventured  to  record  my  hastily-conceived 
views  upon  the  register  of  the  hotel  where  we  remained 
for  a  few  hours;  my  entry  ran  something  like  this:  "April 
20,  1832.  James  A.  Marshall,  Ogdensburgh,  New  York; 
this  might  be  a  place  of  some  importance,  but  the  ground 
is  too  low."  Two  or  three  hours  afterward,  I  chanced  to 
look  over  the  quire  of  paper  dubbed  a  register,  and  found 
added  to  my  remarks,  "Solomon  2d."  I  looked  wise  for 
a  moment,  but  felt  that  my  talent  had  been  over-estimated, 
and  have  never  since  undertaken  to  be  wiser  than  my 
friend,  whom,  I  afterward  learned,  honored  me  with  that 
illustrious  appellation.  I  found  the  place  too  small  for  me 
to  hope  to  make  anything  by  my  profession  (a  physician), 
the  garrison  being  supplied  with  one  of  the  best  in  the 
country  in  the  person  of  Dr.  Philip  Maxwell,  so  we  shipped 
at  once  for  Navarino,  Green  Bay,  Wis.,  where  we  landed 
in  time  to  see  three  soldiers  branded  and  drummed  out 
of  camp,  also  to  see  the  payment  of  7000  Indians  by  Col. 
Boyd.  I  remained  at  Navarino  until  August  5th,  1834, 
when  I  sailed  in  the  Schooner  Nancy  Dousman,  Capt. 
Saunders,  for  Chicago.  After  a  very  boisterous  passage, 
we  arrived  on  the  15th  of  the  same  month,  where  I  have 
resided,  with  the  exception  of  one  year  only,  ever  since. 

To  undertake  the  recital  of  all,  or  even  many  of  the 


OF   CHICAGO.  5 

prominent  causes  of  Chicago's  rise  and  wonderful  progress 
within  the  past  forty-five  years,  and  do  justice  to  the  sub- 
ject, would  occupy  more  time  than  could  be  devoted  to 
one  lecture,  unless  it  were  prolonged  to  an  unreasonable 
length,  and  thereby  losing  much  of  its  intended  usefulness; 
we  will,  therefore,  to  relieve  our  subject  from  the  dull 
monotony  incident  to  the  recital  of  statistical  forms,  for 
the  time  being,  fancy  ourselves  in  an  artist's  studio,  invit- 
ing him,  with  canvas,  paint,  and  brush,  to  create  his  ideal 
of  a  great  and  marvelous  city,  of  less  than  half  a  century's 
growth,  drawing  from  the  resources  of  his  imaginative 
genius  all  that  could  give  it  eclat  and  beauty,  his  subject 
a  low,  uninviting  marsh,  a  sluggish  stream  on  one  side,  a 
bold,  majestic  lake  in  front,  an  extended  prairie  behind; 
with  this  unseemly  background  we  will  watch  his  progress 
in  filling  out  the  rjicture.  On  the  right,  as  you  face  the 
north,  is  a  group  of  one -story  block  houses,  surrounded 
by  a  high  fence;  the  two-story  buildings  at  the  east  of  the 
hollow  square  are  the  quarters  of  the  commandant  and 
officers;  that  hip-roofed,  square  block-house,  with  a  row  of 
small  port-holes,  is  the  look-out,  where  sentinels  are  placed 
to  watch  the  approach  of  hostile  Indians,  the  lower  part 
used  as  a  guard-house — that  is  Fort  Dearborn;  the  river 
meandering  its  way  around  the  east  side  of  the  fort,  run- 
ning southward,  mingling  with  the  lake  at  Madison  street, 
east  of  which  is  a  peninsula  connecting  the  north  and 
south  sides  of  the  river  (and  was  the  only  point,  forty-three 
years  ago,  of  ingress  and  egress  for  vessels  to  and  from 
Lake  Michigan,  until  March,  1833,  when  the  spring  freshet, 
accompanied  by  a  violent  storm,  forced  a  direct  channel 
to  the  lake,  which  was  afterward  dredged  and  piers  run 
out,  by  direction  of  the  Government,  and  which  now  forms 
the  fine  harbor  for  the  white-winged  messengers  that  enrich 
our  country  by  their  precious  burdens).  We  will  accom- 
pany our  artist  a  little  farther;  at  the  left  of  the  fort,  and 
running  west,  are  a  few  modest  structures,  designed,  appar- 
ently, for  the  double  purpose  of  stores  and  dwellings,  ex- 
tending west  as  far  as  Dearborn  street  (there  the  business 
portion  of  the  village,  for  a  time,  rested;  south  of  Lake 
and  east  of  Dearborn  streets,  for  three  or  four  blocks,  was 
a  corn  and  potato  field.  The  principal  forwarding  business 
was  done  on  the  north  side  of  the  Chicago  River  for  several 


6  •  RISE  AND   PROGRESS 

years,  but  the  personal  interest  and  enterprise  of  a  few  gen- 
tlemen residing  on  the  South  Side,  who  had  considerable 
real  estate  unoccupied,  changed  the  channel  of  business  by 
building  warehouses  on  that  side  of  the  river,  after  which  it 
was  transacted  there ;  indeed,  the  North  Side  never  recovered 
its  former  business  prestige,  but  contented  itself  by  build- 
ing palatial  residences,  and  being  considered  the  place  pai' 
excellence,  and  the  home  of  the  elite  of  Chicago).  We  next 
observe  a  ferry  crossing  the  river  at  Dearborn  street,  con- 
nected by  a  rope  attached  to  a  windlass  at  each  side  of 
the  river,  and  a  scow  in  the  centre,  propelled  by  hand 
power,  placed  there  for  the  convenience  of  the  residents 
of  both  sides  of  the  river.  This  rude  piece  of  mechanism 
remained  there  until  a  Mr.  Norton  erected  a  draw-bridge, 
spanning  the  river  at  the  same  place  where  the  old  scow 
had  done  such  good  service  for  so  long  a  time,  but  whose 
occupation,  like  Othello's,  was  now  gone.  It  was  igno- 
miniously  torn  from  its  moorings  to  make  room  for  the 
unwieldy  structure  that  supplanted  it.  From  this  time 
onward  the  city  grew  rapidly,  and  from  this  time  may  be 
dated  the  commencement  of  its  now  universal  popularity. 
We  will  now  leave  our  artist  to  finish  the  picture  as  it 
may  best  suit  his  own  ideality,  Some  new  beauty  is  now 
developed  —  some  wonderful  advancement  made  in  the 
growth  and  importance  of  the  painted  city;  the  unfinished 
streets  show  marks  of  improvement,  lined  with  palatial 
business  structures,  ponderous  warehouses,  elegant  and 
elaborate  places  of  worship,  halls  of  justice  clothed  in 
Oriental  magnificence,  school -houses  with  substantial  ex- 
teriors are  brought  to  view,  avenues  laid  out  and  lined 
with  costly  marble  mansions,  parks  and  boulevards  gem 
the  environs  with  rare  exotics  and  elaborately  ornamental, 
varied,  and  beautiful  foliage,  the  streets  are  as  smooth  as 
parlor  floors;  nothing  is  left  undone  that  imaginative  genius 
could  invent  to  make  a  city  that  would  be  the  wonder 
and  admiration  of  the  civilized  world.  The  picture  com- 
pleted is  heralded  beyond  the  seas,  sent  broadcast  among 
the  cities  of  the  east,  and  presented  to  the  wealthy,  the 
intellectual,  and  the  enterprising  of  our  own  land;  they 
shrug  their  shoulders  knowingly,  acknowledging  its  great 
beauty  and  the  consummate  ideality  of  the  artist,  but 
think  that  he  has  devoted  too   much   to  the  imaginative 


OF   CHICAGO.  7 

to  assume  a  reality  among  the  cities  of  the  world,  turning 
from  what  they  supposed  the  visionary  imaginings  of  a 
fertile  brain  and  elaborate  brush  to  something  more  sub- 
stantial and  real.  The  artist  invites  their  presence  to 
witness  the  last  finishing  touch,  then  with  unbounded  con- 
fidence in  himself,  he  traces  the  name  Chicago.  The 
multitude  exclaims,  "It  is  no  ideal,  but  a  veritable  reality, 
.and  now  stands  the  wonder  of  the  universe." 

Thus  we  have  presented,  in  a  feeble  way,  but  a  bird's- 
eye  view  of  the  germ  of  our  present  great  Metropolis;  its 
early  outlook  by  no  means  calculated  to  encourage  the 
enterprising  explorer,  has  been  brought  to  view;  and 
watching  with  marked  interest  the  unparalleled  improve- 
ment o.n  every  hand,  we  are  awed  into  silence,  and  dare 
not  prophesy  its  future  greatness.  As  the  sturdy  farmer 
scans  his  field  but  lately  cleared  of  a  cumbrous  undergrowth 
of  shrubs  and  thickets,  the  ground  untilled,  the  seed  un- 
sown— glowing  prospects  of  a  rich  harvest  are  least  sug- 
gesting, but,  when  with  implements  of  agriculture  and  deter- 
mined will,  he  delves  and  toils  from  morn  till  night,  faith 
spurs  him  on,  and  slowly,  but  surely,  the  planted  seed, 
the  budding  stalk,  and  waving  grain,  insure  a  harvest,  and 
recompense  is  nigh.  So  to  the  early  settler,  Chicago  stood 
desolate  and  alone,  the  undergrowth  of  uncivilized  Indian 
habitation  lent  an  uninviting  aspect  to  the  eastern  world, 
and  advancement,  for  the  time  being,  seemed  impossible; 
but  the  rich  soil  of  natural  advantages  was  unearthed  by 
the  foresight  of  our  pioneers,  the  seed  planted,  then  arose 
in  plenteous  harvest,  the  wonderful  products  of  a  new-made 
vineyard,  until  now,  after  a  growth  of  forty  years,  the  City 
sketched  upon  the  canvas,  loses  its  primitive  indentity.  and 
stands  before  the  world  a  marvel. 

This  picture,  however,  portrays  but  the  outward  part  of 
Chicago's  greatness,  it  is  the  internal  workings  that  have 
given  it  the  wonderful  celebrity  that  it  now  enjoys.  Let  us, 
for  a  moment,  glance  at  some  of  these  causes  which  have  led 
to  and  done  so  much  toward  its  advancement.  First,  its 
location,  being  at  the  head  of  lake  navigation  and  the  only 
prominent  lake  frontage  that  the  State  of  Illinois  has  for 
the  receipt  and  transportation  of  her  vast  agricultural 
.and  mineral  resources,  thereby  enjoying  some  State  pride. 
Again,  the  immense  lumber  interests  form  a  large  share  of 


8  RISE  AND    PROGRESS 

consideration;  from  a  beginning,  within  the  time  indicated 
at  the  commencement  of  these  remarks,  of  100,000,000 
feet,  it  has  now  increased  to  more  than  1,500,000,000  feet 
per  annum.  The  cereal  products,  too,  which  here  find  a 
market  and  outlet,  have  increased  from  5000  bushels  in 
the  year  1834  to  more  than  15,000,000  bushels  per  annum; 
nor  is  this  all,  the  pork  product  advancing  from  500  to 
over  1,500,000  hogs  packed  every  year,  aside  from  those 
used  for  home  consumption.  In  our  monetary  exchange, 
how  wonderful  the  advance,  from  $25,000  per  week,  which 
at  that  time  indicated  marked  progress,  it  now  requires 
more  than  $20,000,000  to  do  a  week's  financial  business. 
The  advancement  in  general  business,  too,  is  well  calcu- 
lated to  amaze  the  mere  casual  observer,  from  an  insignifi- 
cant sum  of  a  few  thousand  dollars  required  to  transact 
our  annual  business  forty-three  years  ago,  the  enormous 
sum  of  more  than  $200,000,000  is  now  necessary  to  sat- 
isfy the  demands  of  the  thousands  who  look  to  Chicago 
«  for  their  supplies.  Out  of  the  fifteen  billions  of  dollars  an- 
nually required  to  feed  and  clothe  the  people  of  the  United 
States,  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  millions  of  that  sum  is 
necessary  to  feed  and  clothe  the  citizens  of  Chicago  for  the 
same  time. 

We  might  go  on,  ad  libitum,  enumerating  the  capacious 
and  unparalleled  increase  in  the  innumerable  branches  of 
industry  that  are  adding  so  much  to  the  importance,  and 
expanding  the  area  of  our  city  to  its  present  ponderous 
proportions;  but  enough  has  already  been  noticed  to  sat- 
isfy, without  doubt,  the  most  sceptical  of  its  admirers. 
But  perhaps  the  most  wonderful  rise  in  values  has  taken 
place  in  real  estate;  property  that,  in  1834,  sold  for  $200 
per  lot  of  50  feet,  has  been  sold  within  the  past  year 
for  $2000  per  foot,  being  an  advance  of  $99,800  from 
the  original  purchase;  this,  however,  cannot  be  considered 
a  fair  criterion  of  the  general  advancement  of  real  estate, 
nevertheless,  the  increase  has  been,  upon  an  average, 
since  the  time  specified,  about  four  hundred  per  cent, 
of  its  original  value;  still,  it  fluctuated  more  or  less  until 
the  commencement  of  the  Canal  land  sales  in  1848,  since 
then,  real  estate  has  been  reckoned  according  to  prices 
at  which  it  sold  at  that  time,  and  for  a  number  of  years 
afterward,    sales    were    negotiated    upon    Canal    time,    or 


OF   CHICAGO.  9 

Canal  terms,  as  it  was  called — that  was,  one-fourth  cash, 
balance  in  one,  two,  and  three  years,  with  interest  at 
six  per  cent,  per  annum,  payable  annually  in  advance. 
The  wealth  of  some  of  our  millionaires  may,  therefore, . 
be  dated  from  that  time,  as  few  could  boast  of  more 
than  their  thousands  until  the  Canal  sales,  which  placed 
an  estimated  value  upon  real  estate,  furnishing  a  new 
impetus  to  all  branches  of  business.  To  the  Canal  sales,, 
then,  of  1848  to  1853,  when  more  than  $3,000,000  worth 
of  property  was  sold  (all  of  which  I  sold  at  public  sale), 
is  due  the  credit  of  advancing  the  pecuniary  interests  of 
our  fellow-citizens  more  than  any  other  circumstance  since 
the  foundation  of  the  city  government.  Taking  advantage 
of  the  low  prices  at  which  Canal  property  sold,  they  pur- 
chased, and  having  the  sagacity,  some  of  them,  to  hold 
on  to  their  purchases,  they  increased  in  value  upon  their 
hands,  and  made  them  rich.  The  peculiar  location,  superior 
agricultural  and  internal  advantages,  railroad  facilities,  water 
communication,  and  enterprise  of  our  citizens  combined, 
is  what  has  given  to  Chicago  its  eminence  at  home  and 
abroad,  and  not,  as  some  have  supposed,  the  sagacity  and 
enterprise  of  a  few  of  the  more  fortunate  of  our  fellow-citi- 
zens, who,  for  want  of  purchasers  at  the  time  that  they  de- 
sired to  sell,  were  obliged  to  hold  on  to  their  property,  there- 
by becoming  wealthy,  more  by  reason  of  their  misfortune — ■ 
or  rather,  their  good  fortune — in  being  unable  to  sell. 
Nevertheless,  great  credit  is  due  them  for  their  liberality 
in  using  their  wealth  in  the  erection  of  elegant  structures,, 
and  in  otherwise  lending  their  aid  in  beautifying  and  adorn- 
ing our  city. 

Many,  however,  who  took  a  prominent  part  in  the  build-  . 
ing  up  and  advancing  the  growth  and  prosperity  of  our 
City,  have  passed  away,  leaving  names  not  recorded  in  the 
activities  of  life,  but  graven  indelibly  upon  the  memories  of 
their  fellow-citizens,  and  are  justly  extolled  for  their  upright 
lives  and  many  virtues.  Those  of  the  pioneers  who  remain 
to  witness  the  further  growth  of  their  favorite  and  patron 
city  speak  gently  of  the  departed,  but,  with  pride  in  their 
name  and  tireless  enterprise,  point  to  the  vast  resources  of 
our  wonderful  City,  and  say,  "these  are  their  eulogies,  it 
needs   no  marble  column  to  tell  of  their  greatness,  their 


10  RISE   AND    PROGRESS 

deeds  are  written  in  the  early  annals  of  famed  Chicago." 
Many  of  them  did  not  live  to  witness  its  sudden  destruc- 
tion and  succeeding  rapid  progress.  But,  in  the  dawning 
years  of  our  City's  eminence,  was  established — the  energy, 
strength,  and  ground  work  of  the  enterprise  that  bid  it 
rise. 

The  great  and  unprecedented  increase  of  our  population 
may  be,  and,  perhaps,  is,  attributable  to  the  widespread  in- 
formation given  of  its  superior  advantages,  particularly  so 
since  the  fire  of  187 1. 

A  catastrophy  that  will  never  be  obliterated  from  the 
memory  of  those  who  witnessed  the  awful  spectacle,  a  scene 
of  grandeur  and  sublimity  unparalleled  in  the  history  of  the 
world's  conflagrations, — the  accumulated  wealth  of  many 
years  swept  away  in  an  hour;  the  millionnaire  of  yesterday, 
to-day  walks  hand  in  hand  with'  poverty;  the  prospects  of 
a  competence  in  after  years  silenced  forever.  Thus  we 
contemplated  when  viewing  the  fire  of  Oct.  9,  187 1.  After 
the  great  holocaust  had  given  way  to  smouldering  debris, 
with  others,  we  strolled  among  the  ruins,  meeting  at  almost 
every  step  some  well-known  friend,  whose  life's  earnings 
had  been  sacrificed  through  the  carelessness  of  irresponsi- 
ble parties.  One  friend  in  particular,  who  had  been  one 
of  the  most  unfortunate  of  the  wealthy  men  of  our  City. 
I  thus  accosted,  after  offering  my  sympathy:  "Mr.  C***, 
you  must  be  one  of  the  heaviest  losers  by  the  fire;"  he 
smiled  pleasantly,  and  answerd,  "I  have  lost  heavily,  it 
is  true,  but  I  am  not  discouraged;  in  ten  years,  Chi- 
cago will  be  a  greater  City  than  it  ever  was,  and  I  shall  do 
my  share  to  make  it  so;"  and  he  has  kept  his  word.  From 
that  time  onward,  the  City  was  the  centre  of  interest  and 
attraction.  Many  who  came  were  deeply  interested  in  what 
they  saw,  and  were  conquered  by  the  veritable  facts  visible 
before  them,  and  not  only  remained  themselves,  but  advised 
their  friends  to  come  to  this  eldorado  of  the  west;  the  result, 
as  shown,  is,  that  since  the  time  stated,  our  population 
has  increased  a  thousand -fold,  from  500  inhabitants  forty- 
three  years  ago,  we  have  now  more  than  500,000,  accord- 
ing to  estimates  recently  made,  and  still  they  come.  Our 
public  school -houses  —  or  rather,  our  school-house — then 
contained  less  than   100  pupils;    now,  more   than  40,000 


OF   CHICAGO.  II 

children  congregate  and  occupy  seats  provided  for  them 
in  our  commodious  and  imposingly-built  public  school 
edifices,  fitting  these  thousands  of  immortal  minds  for  use- 
fulness and  honor,  preparing  them  to  take  part  in  the  great 
panorama  of  life.  Aside  from  this  formidable  array  of 
young  ideas  that  sip  knowledge  from  the  public  fountain, 
there  are  a  number  of  private  institutions,  colleges,  and 
seminaries,  occupied  by  some  thousands  of  the  children 
whose  parents  prefer  this  manner  of  instruction.  Thus,  it 
will  be  seen,  that  while  we  have  been  engaged,  and  seem- 
ingly bound  to  the  all-absorbing  influence  of  gain,  the 
rising  generation  has  not  been  forgotten,  means  have  been 
provided  for  the  ample  development  of  their  mental  facul- 
ties, intellectual  aspirations,  and  moral  culture.  All  honor 
is  due  to  our  sagacious  law  makers  for  these  timely  safe- 
guards. May  free  schools,  free  speech,  and  a  free  press 
continue  to  be  the  law  of  the  land,  although .  the  latter  has 
often  been  abused  by  the  injudicious  management  of  un- 
thinking and  unprincipled  men,  nevertheless,  it  had  better 
be  so  than  to  interfere  with  its  freedom. 

A  due  and  proper  regard  for  moral  and  religious  rights 
is  incumbent  upon  all  good  citizens;  the  free  discussion 
of  their  favorite  dogmas  is  allowable  throughout  the  length 
and  breadth  of  our  land,  and  there  let  it  remain — further 
recognition  is  dangerous  to  the  peace  and  well-being  of 
our  country,  as  well  as  to  our  individual  privileges. 

It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  these  many  years  of  pros- 
perity and  wonderful  advancement  have  been  allowed  to 
pass  without  some  intervening  incidents,  which,  at  the  time, 
were  fraught  with  more  or  less  amusement  and  enjoyment. 
Although  time  has  transformed  the  ambitious  and  ever- 
restless  youth  into  matured  manhood,  and  some  into  de- 
clining life,  yet,  in  calling  the  roll  of  time  backward,  we 
find  recorded  many  laughable,  and  ludicrous  incidents.  We 
will  omit  several  amusing  anecdotes  for  want  of  time  to 
relate  them;  there  are  a  few,  however,  which  I  think  that 
I  shall  always  remember.  Many  of  our  older  settlers  wilj 
recollect  the  old  Presbyterian  Church,  located  near  the  S.- 
W.  corner  of  Clark  and  Lake  streets.  We  were  in  the  habit 
then,  as  now,  of  holding  Wednesday  evening  prayer-meet- 
ings; that  most  excellent  man,  Rev.  Jeremiah  Porter,  had 
left  us,  in  his  place  was  a  dashing,  eloquent  young  preacher, 


12  RISE   AND    PROGRESS 

bran-new  from  college,  but  entirely  unfitted  to  occupy  the 
position  he  was  called  to  fill.  After  these  meetings  the 
pastor  would  hasten  from  the  speakers  desk  and  offer  his 
services,  as  a  general  thing,  to  one  of  the  prettiest  young 
ladies  present.  Of  course,  he  was  rarely,  if  ever,  refused. 
Upon  the  particular  evening  in  question,  he  approached  a 
young  lady  of  exceeding  beauty,  proffering  his  services  as 
chaperon,  which  were  accepted.  At  the  same  time,  I  had 
the  honor  of  escorting  a  near  relative  of  the  lady  alluded 
to,  and  for  whose  domicile  we  were  all  bound,  the  party 
of  the  first  part  taking  the  lead;  the  night  was  extremely 
dark,  and,  not  having  the  advantage  of  street  lamps  and 
gas-light,  we  had  to  feel  our  way  along;  it  was  just  after 
a  very  profuse  rain,  our  streets  —  without  sidewalks  or 
any  such  thing,  —  were  very  unpleasant  thoroughfares. — 
We  had  not  proceeded  far,  when  we  heard  a  shriek  from 
the  young  lady,  and  an  "  Oh,  dear  me !  Where  are  we 
going?"  from  the  reverend  gentleman.  Another  shriek, 
then  one  more,  still  louder,  en  concert,  proceeded  from  out 
the  more  than  Egyptian-darkness,  when  the  lady  at  my  side 
exclaimed,  in  alarm,   "Mr.  Marshall,  what  is  the  matter?" 

"Oh,  nothing  more,"  I   replied,  "than  that   Mr. has 

led  Miss into  that  slough  just  opposite  your  house." 

The  fact  was,  in  crossing  the  street,  as  they  supposed,  the 
night  being  so  very  dark,  they  walked  straight  into  the 
slough  that  extended  quite  across  the  street  and  nearly 
half  way  down  the  block;  into  it  they  went,  until  they 
were  nearly  up  to  their  waists  in  mud  and  water.  The 
more  they  tried  to  extricate  themselves,  the  deeper  they 
got  into  the  mire;  finally,  at  the  suggestion  of  the  lady 
whom  I  was  accompanying,  I  told  them  to  stand  perfectly 
still  until  I  could  get  a  lantern,  which  I  succeeded  in  doing 
in  a  very  short  time,  when  I  held  the  light  up,  so  that  we 
could  see  them  and  they  view  themselves,  you  ought  to 
have  seen  the.  look  that  girl  gave  me  (in  the  meantime 
the  lady  at  my  side  had  her  mouth  filled  with  linen  cam- 
bric to  keep  from  screaming  right  out),  then,  half  laughing 
and  half  crying,  she  paddled  her  own  canoe  until  she 
reached  terra  firma,  then  rushed  for  her  home,  which  was 
not  more  than  fifty  feet  from  them,  nor  had  it  been  any 
of  the  time,  although  they  had  been  skirmishing  in  various 
directions.     Meanwhile,  the  clerical  gentleman  had  drawn 


OF   CHICAGO.  13 

himself  out,  covered  with  mud.  Such  a  countenance ! — it 
was  a  perfect  black  and  tan;  he  shook  himself,  bade  us 
good  night,  and  left  for  his  study.  It  may  be  of  interest 
to  some  to  know  that  the  slough  was  located  on  Clark 
street,  between  Lake  and  South  Water  streets. 

Many  very  amusing  incidents  occurred,  which  are  worthy 
of  recital,  but  a  few  more  must  suffice.  One,  I  remember, 
was  of  a  young  lady  crossing  one  of  our  principal  streets, 
the  way  seemed  clear,  so  she  tripped  along  very  gracefully 
until  she  had  almost  reached  the  opposite  side,  when  the 
crust,  which  had  formed  from  the  heat  of  the  sun,  gave 
way,  and  down  she  began  to  go — down,  down,  down,  until 
she  had  gone  about  as  far  down  as  she  could,  and  was 
looking  pitifully  around  for  help  from  some  source.  A 
gentleman  near  by,  observing  her  predicament,  hastened 
to  her  rescue,  and  extricated  the  fair  lady  from  her  perilous 
position.  You  may  be  sure  she  was  not  as  tidy  when 
she  again  touched  solid  foundation  as  when  she  started  to 
cross  the  street.  Thanking  the  gentleman  for  his  timely 
and  polite  assistance,  she  wended  her  way  to  the  nearest 
convenient  place,  and,  taking  a  forlorn  look  at  herself, 
proceeded  to  adjust  her  toilet.  The  finale  of  this  little 
incident  was  somewhat  romantic,  it  furnished  the  means 
of  culminating  an  acquaintance  of  friendship  merely  into 
one  of  admiration  and  affection,  the  result  being  that,  not 
long  after,  the  parties  engaged  in  a  matrimoninl  alliance, 
which  was  consummated  in  a  remote  part  of  the  town, 
away  from  the  thickly  settled  portion  of  the  city — on  the 
corner  of  Michigan  avenue  and  Madison  street.  Their 
wedding  tour  was  a  drive  to  Hard  Scrabble  and  back,  a 
suburban  retreat  containing  one  log  house,  and  situate 
about  4^  miles  from  town — the  site  now  forming  the 
outskirts  of  Bridgeport.  The  wedding  cortege  consisted  of 
two  dilapidated  carriages  and  one  buggy,  all  the  available 
stylish  turnouts  that  the  city  could  boast  of,  except  carts, 
and  which,  by  the  way,  were  the  only  means  of  convey- 
ance for  the  elite  of  the  town.  A  buffalo  robe  was  placed 
in  the  bottom  of  the  carts,  they  were  backed  up,  received 
their  precious  freight,  taken  to  their  destination,  and  then 
dumped  down  like  a  load  of  coal. 

Notwithstanding  all  these  seeming  inconveniences,  there 
was  more  real  social  enjoyment  in  our  pioneer  society  than 


14  RISE   AND    PROGRESS 

can  now  be  found  in  the  elegant  and  costly  receptions 
given -in  palatial  mansions  of  wealth  and  refinement;  there 
was  that  absence  of  over-restraint;  the  strict  forms  of  eti- 
quette were  not  so  closely  observed;  there  were  no  million- 
naires — no  foreign  Counts  to  entertain;  no  Parisian  airs  to 
assume  as  a  pre-requisite  to  initiation  into  the  best  society; 
invitations  were  not  sent  on  highly -perfumed  Paris  billets 
doux,  but  by  oral  representation,  thus:  "George,  if  you  see 
James,  tell  him  to  invite  Benjamin  and  William,  and  I 
will  invite  Byron  and  Charles,  to  a  little  sociable  to-night 
at  Maria's  (now  everybody  knew  Maria  as  well  as  Mrs. 
Josiah  Allen  knew  Betsy  Bobbitt);  you  bring  Andelucia, 
and  I  will  see  that  Agnes,  Angeline,  Elizabeth,  and  Rose 
are  there.  We  shall  have  a  first-rate  time.  Old  George 
White  will  be  there  with  his  fiddle,"  etc.  Mind  you,  these 
are  no  fictitious  nanies,  but  veritable  actors  on  the  social 
stage  at  the  time,  some  of  whom  are  now  living,  and,  were 
they  present,  would  at  once  recognize  the  truth  of  what  I 
am  repeating.  The  George  White  mentioned  was  black 
as  the  raven  wing  of  the  night,  and  was  caterer  for  all 
first  society  people.  One  of  the  necessary  requisites,  how- 
ever, for  attending  these  social  gatherings,  was,  if  the  party 
was  a  new  comer,  did  he  belong  to  the  first  society?  If 
yea,  that  was  all  that  was  required  of  him  as  a  passport 
to  our  social  circle,  otherwise  no  intercourse  was  enjoyed 
until  initiated  into  the  first.  You  will  observe,  then,  that 
certain  requisites  were  necessary  before  even  the  nabobs 
of  the  east  could  enjoy  these  primitive  receptions,  unless 
properly  vouched  for. 

An  amusing  incident  of  the  olden  time,  although  not 
reflecting  favorably  upon  the  morals  of  some  of  the  mem- 
bers of  our  early  associates,  nevertheless,  shows  to  what 
abandon  a  few  of  our  most  prominent  citizens  would  submit 
themselves  under  a  want  of  proper  restraint.  Two  promi- 
nent legal  gentlemen  had  left  their  office,  and,  passing  the 
old  Tremont  House,  then  located  on  the  north-west  corner 
of  Lake  and  Dearborn  streets,  they  heard  an  unusual  noise 
in  the  dining-room.  With  much  difficulty  they  succeeded 
in  gaining  admission,  and  found  five  or  six  gentlemen  of 
the  highest  respectability  having,  what  they  were  pleased 
to  call,  "a  high  old  time."  One  was  rolling  and  kicking 
up  his  heels  on  the  dining  table,  divested  of  his  coat  and 


OF   CHICAGO.  15 

vest,  and  making  the  welkin  ring  with  his  unearthly  noise;, 
another  was  at  the  lower  end  of  the  room  praying;  a  third 
was  dancing  a  war  dance,  with  two  Indians,  around  the 
dining  table;  a  fourth,  amusing  himself  by  cutting  up  capers 
in  imitation  of  an  old-fashioned  jig,  all  on  his  own  respon- 
sibility; two  others  were  lying  fast  asleep  under  the  table. 
Thus  they  were  all  employed  when  these  gentlemen  gained 
an  admittance.  Finding  escape  by  the  doorway  impossible, 
they  took  the  next  best  plan,  and  jumped  out  the  window. 
They  were  fined  $5  each  for  their  intrusion,  by  the  parties- 
having  the  "gay  old  time,"  which  they  promptly  paid.  We 
could  give  the  names  of  all  these  parties,  but  they  have 
passed  away,  and  out  of  respect  to  the  departed,  we  will 
refrain  from  so  doing.  We  would  say,  however,  that  they 
all  became  honored  members  of  society,  filling  City,  State, 
and  Federal  offices  of  trust  and  responsibility  with  fidelity 
to  the  government  and  honor  to  themselves. 

In  migrating  to  a  new  country,  many  interesting  circum- 
stances occur,  which  leave  a  lasting  impression  upon  the 
mind,  notwithstanding  intervening  events  that  would  be 
calculated  to  occupy  the  popular  attention.  I  recall  just 
now,  among  others,  the  Indian  payments,  which,  I  think,. 
occurred  as  late  as  1835  (a  ^ew  tribes  remained  later,  .but 
not  many).  Their  manner  of  giving  in  the  number  of  each 
household,  in  order  to  receive  their  annuity,  was  in  keeping 
with  their  own  originality.  Selecting  one  of  the  more 
prominent  of  their  number  (generally  the  chief)  to  receive 
their  payment,  the  "modus  operandi"  was  in  this  wise:  for 
the  heads  of  the  family,  two  large  notches  were  cut  at  the 
top  of  the  stick,  then  smaller  notches  followed  underneath, 
indicating  the  number  of  children  in  each  family.  Curi- 
osity led  me  to  inquire  of  Col.  Boyd,  the  Indian  Agent, 
if  he  was  not  occasionally  imposed  upon,  or  did  they  not 
sometimes  make  mistakes.  He  informed  me  that  he  had 
never  detected  an  instance  of  fraud  or  mistake  in  the  count 
during  all  the  payments  he  had  made.  After  receiving 
their  payment,  which  was  always  in  silver  half  dollars,  they 
would  at  once  repair  to  their  wigwams  and  pass  the  money 
over  to  their  squaws  for  safe  -  keeping,  who  would  tie  it 
up  in  one  corner  of  their  blankets,  often  to  be  removed 
by  some  adroit  thief,  who  would  lie  in  wait  until  they  went 
to  sleep,  then  cut  it  from  the  blanket;  thus  depriving  the 


16  RISE  AND  PROGRESS  OF  CHICAGO. 

•     ft«nt  rrpfltures  of  ail  their  worldly  wealth,  no  one 
K ^m"r  theix  behalf,  or  sympathizing  wtth 

^Tfte^thehplyment,  many  of  them  would  remain  several 
,,„  and  favor  us  with  a  display  of  some  of  their  pnnci- 
days,  ana  iavor  shooting  pennies,  with  bow  and 

pal  amusements     uch  as  shooting  1  ^  ^ 

arrow,  from  a  stick  placed  some  uisut 
road      They  also  performed  a  variety  of  dances,  some  01 
them  exceedingly  novel,  particularly  the  sick  dance.     The 
skk  person       pLed  at  the  entrance  of  the  wigwam;  one 

3        Tb  ing  eaUy  dre  sed  and  painted,  each  one  holding 

This    and  theSskfn  of  some  animal,  generally  an  otter  or 

,      £„  ,t  the  tan  of  the  gong,  and  there  is  no  mistaking 

of  our  beautiful  city,  and  enter  mo 

social  advancement  of  oui  present  nigury 
Society. 


F 

7 
RARE 


Fevgtis'  Popular  Publications. 

i    ANNALS    OF   CHICAGO:    A   Lecture   delivered 

before  the  Chicago  Lyceum,  January  21,  1S40,  by  J  OS.  N.  Balestier. 
Republished  from  the  original  edition  of  1840.  with  an  Introduction, 
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published   in   the  Chics.go  Tribune  in   1872.      Price.  25   cents. 

2  FERGUS'    DIRECTORY    OF    THE    CITY   OF 

CHICAGO,  1839;  with  City  and  County  Officers,  Churches,  Public 
Buildings,  Hotels,  etc.,  also,  list  of  Sheriffs  of  Cook  County  and 
Mayors  of  the  City  since  their  organization ;  together  with  Poll-List 
of  the  First  City  Election  (.Tuesday,  May  2d,  1837);  and,  also,  List 
of  Purchasers  of  Lots  in  Fort  Dearborn  Addition,  the  No.  of  the 
Lots,  and  the  Prices  Paid  (1839).  Compiled  by  Robert  Fergus. 
Price,  50  cents. 

3  THE  LAST  OF  THE  ILLINOIS,  and  a  Sketch 

of  the  Pottawatomies :  Read  before  the  Chicago  Historical  Society, 
December   13th,  1870 ;    also, 

ORIGIN  OF  THE  PRAIRIES:  Read  before  the  Ottawa 
Academy  of  Natural  Sciences,  December  30th,  1869,  by  Hon.  John 
Dean  Caton,  LL.  D.,  late  Chief- Justice  of  Illinois.     Price,  25  cent>. 

4  AN  HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF  THE  EARLY 

MOVEMENT  IN  ILLINOIS  FOR  THE  LEGALIZATION  OF 
SLAVERY:  Read  at  the  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Chicago  Historical 
Society,  December  5,  1864,  by  Hon.  Wm.  H.  Brown,  Ex-President 
of  the   Society.      Price,  25  cents. 

5  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES  OF  SOME  OF 

THE  EARLY  SETTLERS  OF  THE  CITY  OF  CHICAGO. 
To  be  issued  in  monthly  parts.  Part  I.  contains  Sketches  of  Hon. 
S.  Lisle  Smith,  George  Davis,  Dr.  Philip  Maxwell,  John  J.  Brown. 
Richard  L.  YVilson,  Colonel  Lewis  C.  Kerchival,  Uriah  P.  Harris. 
Henry  B.    Clarke,   and  Sheriff  Samuel  J.    Lowe.      Price,  25  cents. 

6  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES   OF  SOME   OF 

THE  F.ARLY  SETTLERS  OF  THE  CITY  OF  CHICAGO. 
To  be  issued  in  monthly  parts.  Part  II.  will  contain  Sketches  of  W. 
H.  Brown,  Esq.,  B.  W.  Raymond,  Esq.,  J.  Y.  Scammon,  Esq.,  Chas. 
Walker,  Esq.,  Thomas  Church,  Esq.      Price.  25  cents. 

7  EARLY    CHICAGO:     A    LECTURE    DELIVERED 

in  the  Sunday  Course,  at  McCormick's  Iial.l,  May  7th,  1876.  By 
Hon.  John  Wentworth.     Steel  engraving  of  author.      Price  35  cent.- 

S     EARLY    CHICAGO:     A    LECTURE    DELIVERED 

in  the  Sunday  Course,  at  McCormick's  Hall,  April  nth,  1875,  w'tn 
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worth.     Price,  35  cents. 

9  PRESENT  .AND  FUTURE  PROSPECTS  OF 

CHICAGO:  An  Address  delivered  before  1  lie  Chicago  Lyceum,  Jan. 
20,  1846.      By  Henry  Brown,  Esq.,  Author  of  "History  of  Illinois.' 

RISE  AND  PROGRESS  OF  CHICAGO:  An  Address  delivered 
before  the  Centennial  Library  Association,  March  21,  1876.  By  Jas. 
A.   Marshall,  Esq. 

CHICAGO  IN  1836.  "STRANGE  EARLY  DAYS."  By  Har- 
riet Martineau,  author  of  "Society  in  America,"  etc.      Price,  25  cts. 

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